Mobile track working machine

ABSTRACT

In a mobile track working machine wherein a plurality of operator&#39;&#39;s cabins are mounted on the underside of the machine frame and a plurality of storage receptacles holding parts of rail fastening means are associated with the cabins, a vibratory conveyor is mounted between each storage receptacle and the associated cabin for conveying the parts from the receptacle to the cabin.

United States Patent 1 Theurer July 24, 1973 MOBILE TRACK WORKING MACHINE 3,654,868 4/1972 Plasseretal 104/5 1 1 1mm Josef Thu-m, vim, Austria 3:23:22; 2331 iii fiifii'j ii .33: 32113 E [73] Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumascliinen-lndustrie- 1 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Geseuscha Vienna Ausma Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Hertsch [22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1971 Attorney-Kurt Kelman [21] Appl. No.: 199,679

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Dec. 17, 1970 Austria A 11351/70 In. a mdbile track working machine wherein a plurality of operators cabins are mounted on the underside of [52] (1.8. CI 104/17 R the machine frame-and a plurality of Storage receptw [51] Int. Cl. Eolb 29/24 cles holding parts of rail fastening means are associated [58] Fleld of Search 104/1, 2, 5, 6, 12, with h cabins, a vibratory conveyor is mounted 104/17 R tween each storage receptacle and the associated cabin for conveying the parts from the receptacle to the cabi- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,163,122 12/1964 Johnson 104/17 R 10 Claims, 3 Drawing, Figures I9 :1 I 4 6d 6c l6b g0 MOBILE TRACK WORKING MACHINE The present invention relates to improvements in a mobile track working machine of the type wherein a machine frame has a platform with an underside facing the track, running gears mounting the frame for mobility on the track, a plurality of operator's stations mounted on the underside of the frame, and a plurality of storage receptacles holding selected parts of rail fastening means, each storage receptacle being associated with a respective operators station.

Such mobile track working machines are used, for example, when laying tracks or when renewing tracks, in which case the track rails are loosely held on the ties and the mobile machine runs on the loosely held track while the rails are fastenedto succeeding ties from the moving machine. The operators at their stations receive the fastening means parts, such as fastening bolts, tie plates, spring washers and nuts, one after the other to enable them to position and fasten the same in successive operations.

In known machines of this type, the storage receptacles holding the respective fastening'means parts are mounted in direct reach of the respective operators to enable them to take out each part as the operation proceeds. This has the disadvantage that the receptacles must be relatively small since little space is available below the machine platform in the immediate vicinity of the operators cabin. This, in turn, means that the storage receptacles must be frequently replenished or replaced by full receptacles. This causes not only operational delays but also involves difficulties in the logistics of the operation. Also, the different parts are not separately stored in different receptacles, which makes the work of the operator more difficult.

It is the primary object of thisinvention to overcome these and other disadvantages, and to provide a mobile track working machine wherein each operator may always remove a selected fastening means part from the same point in easy reach while increasing the operational capacity of the machine.

This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by mounting a vibratory conveyor between each storage receptacle and the associated operators station for conveying the selected parts held in each receptacle to the operators station.

With the provision of such conveyors, each receptacle may be mounted at a convenient point of the machine frame which not only affords enough space to accommodate larger receptacles but also is readily accessible for delivery of additional supplies of parts to replenish the receptacles during operations. Each receptacle may have a discharge opening in its bottom to permit successive parts to be discharged from the receptacle to the vibratory conveyor, the successively delivered parts then being slowly conveyed to the operators station according to the operational requirements or pace. At the operators station, the conveyed part is readily taken off the conveyor by the operator and placed in position on the successive ties for fastening the rails to the ties. This arrangement considerably improves the logistics of the operation and the capacity of the machine so that the same may advance along the track at higher speed.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a mobile track working machine according to this invention,

FIG. 2 is a like view, on an enlarged scale, of one working station, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line IIIlIl of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the mobile track operators machine is shown to include a machine frame 4 having an underside facing the track and mounted for mobility on the track on running gears 3, 3, the track consisting of-rails 2 to be fastened to ties l. A plurality of working stations shown to consist of cabins 5 are mounted on the underside of machine frame 4 and storage receptacles 6a to 6d are associated with respective ones of the cabins. Each storage receptacle holds a different selected part of rail fastening means for fastening the rails 2 to ties 4, the rail fastening means parts held in each receptacle being so selected that, as the machine advances in the working direction A along the track, all necessary parts are brought to each fastening point so that the rails may be properly fastened. The sizes of the successive storage receptacles are chosen in accordance with the sizes and numbers of parts to be held in each receptacle. In the illustrated embodiment and by way of illustration only, the first storage receptacle 6a carries the fastening bolts, the next succeeding receptacle 6b holds the tie'plates, the following receptacle 6c holds the spring washers, and the last recepta: cle 6d contains the fastening nuts.

In the preferred embodiment shown herein, each storage receptacle is associated with two operators cabins 5, one cabin being associated with the left rail and one with the right rail, one of the cabins being arranged ahead of the associated storage receptacle in the working direction while the other cabin is arranged behind this receptacle in this direction.

According to the invention, vibratory conveyors 7 are mounted between each storage receptacle and the associated working station for conveying the selected rail fastening means parts from the receptacle to the operators station. The conveyors are mounted above the rails and extend parallel thereto in the illustrated embodiment. Vibratory conveyors are well known and, as shown, vibrators 8 of conventional design are associated with each conveyor to impart a vibratory motion along the longitudinal extension of the conveyor, the vibrators being fastened to the upper ends of the conveyors.

The storage receptacles are mounted centrally between the track rails and have bottom discharge openings to which are connected obliquely outwardly inclined chutes 9 leading to the upper ends of associated vibratory conveyors 7. Vibrators 10 are fastened to the chutes to impart a vibratory motion thereto so as to convey the parts from the receptacle to the conveyor.

sentially a cabin top a fixedly mounted on machine frame 4 and a cabin floor 5b vertically adjustably mounted in vertical guides 14 in the cabin top. Operators seats 11 arelaterally movably mounted on the cabin floor, the operators in these seats receiving the fastening means parts from conveyors 7 to enable them to fasten the rails to the ties. Side walls 5c laterally close off the cabin top, the side walls having windows 5d and being laterally spaced sufficiently from the cabin floor to provide a space enabling the operator to reach between the side wall and the. cabin floor to secure the fastening means parts in place. Hydraulic motors 12, 12 are provided to move the cabin floor vertically in guides 14, guide rollers 13 engaging the guides to facilitate the vertical movement. In this manner, the cabin floor which is held very close to the ballast surface during the fastening operation may be lifted, when required, to leave a required clearance between the track and the operators cabin.

Since it is desirable to position the operators seats 11 close to a respective track rail in track curves, too, so that the operator may readily reach the rail fastening point, the seats are also laterally movable. For this purpose, the cabin floor carries laterally adjustable floor plates 15 on which the seats are mounted, each floor plate being guided transversely of the track in guides 16 of cabin floor 5b. As shown in FIG. 3, the floor plates have guide rollers 17, 17 engaging the track rails so that the floor plates and the seats mounted thereon are automatically laterally adjusted in conformity with the track position.

Finally, the upper side of the machine frame may carry longitudinally extending guide rails 18 along which a supply carriage 19 may be moved for delivering additional supplies of fastening means parts to the various storage receptacles. If the machine is used in association with a track renewal apparatus, additional guide rails 20 are provided for moving tie transport cranes along the platform.

I claim:

1. A mobile track working machine comprising 1. a machine frame having an underside facing the track,

2. running gears mounting the frame for mobility on the track,

3. a plurality of operators stations mounted on the underside of the frame,

4. a plurality of storage receptacles holding selected parts of rail fastening means, each storage receptacle being associated with a respective operators station, and

5. a vibratory conveyor mounted between each of the storage receptacles and the associated operators station for conveying the selected parts from the receptacle to the operators station.

2. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each storage receptacle is associated with two of said operators stations, one operators station being adjacent one of the track rails and the other operators station being adjacent the other track rail, and two of said vibratory conveyors being mounted between the storage receptacle and the associated operators stations, each of the conveyors conveying the selected parts to a respective one of the working stations.

3. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the vibratory conveyors is mounted above a respective one of the track rails and extends parallel thereto, and further comprising an obliquely outwardly inclined chute connected to each of the storage receptacles and leading to an associated one of the vibratory conveyors.

4. The mobile track working machine of claim 3, further comprising means for vibrating the chutes.

5. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the vibratory conveyors is adjustable in the direction of track elongation and is pivotal in a vertical plane.

6. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the operators stations is laterally and vertically adjustable in respect of the frame.

7. The mobile track working machine of claim 6, wherein the operators station comprises a cabin having an operators seat laterally adjustable in the cabin.

8. The mobile track working machine of claim 7, further comprising a laterally adjustable floor plate mounting the seat in the cabin.

9. The mobile track working machine of claim 8, further comprising guide rollers mounted on the floor plate and engaging the track rails.

10. The mobile track working machine of claim 8, further comprising a cabin floor carrying the floor plate and a cabin top, vertical guide means in the cabin top for vertically guiding the floor plate, and a hydraulic drive for vertically adjusting the floor plate in the guide means. 1 

1. A mobile track working machine comprising
 1. a machine frame having an underside facing the track,
 2. running gears mounting the frame for mobility on the track,
 3. a plurality of operator''s stations mounted on the underside of the frame,
 4. a plurality of storage receptacles holding selected parts of rail fastening means, each storage receptacle being associated with a respective operator''s station, and
 5. a vibratory conveyor mounted between each of the storage receptacles and the associated operator''s station for conveying the selected parts from the receptacle to the operator''s station.
 2. running gears mounting the frame for mobility on the track,
 2. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each storage receptacle is associated with two of said operator''s stations, one operator''s station being adjacent one of the track rails and the other operator''s station being adjacent the other track rail, and two of said vibratory conveyors being mounted between the storage receptacle and the associated operator''s stations, each of the conveyors conveying the selected parts to a respective one of the working stations.
 3. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the vibratory conveyors is mounted above a respective one of the track rails and extends parallel thereto, and further comprising an obliquely outwardly inclined chute connected to each of the storage receptacles and leading to an associated one of the vibratory conveyors.
 3. a plurality of operator''s stations mounted on the underside of the frame,
 4. a plurality of storage receptacles holding selected parts of rail fastening means, each storage receptacle being associated with a respective operator''s station, and
 4. The mobile track working machine of claim 3, further comprising means for vibrating the chutes.
 5. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the vibratory conveyors is adjustable in the direction of track elongation and is pivotal in a vertical plane.
 5. a vibratory conveyor mounted between each of the storage receptacles and the associated operator''s station for conveying the selected parts from the receptacle to the operator''s station.
 6. The mobile track working machine of claim 1, wherein each of the operator''s stations is laterally and vertically adjustable in respect of the frame.
 7. The mobile track working machine of claim 6, wherein the operator''s station comprises a cabin having an operator''s seat laterally adjustable in the cabin.
 8. The mobile track working machine of claim 7, further comprising a laterally adjustable floor plate mounting the seat in the cabin.
 9. The mobile track working machine of claim 8, further comprising guide rollers mounted on the floor plate and engaging the track rails.
 10. The mobile track working machine of claim 8, further comprising a cabin floor carrying the floor plate and a cabin top, vertical guide means in the cabin top for vertically guiding the floor plate, and a hydraulic drive for vertically adjusting the floor plate in the guide means. 